We just returned from our family summer vacation out West. This year we took on Wyoming with emphasis on Yellowstone. This has been on Daddy's list and after a year of cancellation due to Covid, it finally happened.
We did a group tour experience with the agenda laid out, all transportation taken care of, and every detail and logistic covered. I can look back and tell you this...I loved the social aspect that involved meeting and traveling with other families. However, I did not like the time restraints, the rules, and being on such a tight schedule.
I think most of my family agreed with me. So from here on out, it will be the Cibulas take on {fill in the blank} and we will follow our own schedule, get lost, and wing a few details her and there.
Now on to the vacation. We flew into Jackson Hole, Wyoming the afternoon before we met up with our group. This gave us a full free day ourselves. Daddy dragged us to the mountains to take the ski lift up for the views. We grabbed lunch and put a check in that box.
Next up, I got to do the dragging. Welcome to the Jackson Hole Rodeo. It seriously may have been a dream come true for this wanna be country gal.
The following day, we did some shopping in downtown Jackson Hole. Everything was within walking distance from our hotel {even the rodeo}. Downtown has some great boutiques, outdoorsy shops, and fun junk shops for the kids.
From there, we walked {yes, another destination within walking distance} to Snow King Mountain. Here we took a short hike, and rode the mountain coaster and enjoyed other attractions.
On to day 4, I think. We made our way to the Grand Tetons. We met up with a bike tour company, got fitted, and hit the path. It was absolutely breathtaking.
We made a couple stops on the way. But Mormon Row was by far my favorite. It was postcard perfect.
We ate a picnic lunch in Grand Teton and them made our way to Yellowstone National Park. It's what we had all been waiting for.
Our first stop in the park was the West Thumb Geyser Basin. We were wowed from the get go. The terrain is unlike anything any of us have ever seen.
We then got checked into our lodging at the park. After unloading our bags, we grabbed dinner at one of the lodge cafes and took a seat by Old Faithful. She's pretty predictable, hence the name, so we knew we could eat geyser side and get a show.
The rest of the evening, we roamed around the boardwalk checking out more geysers and lots of hydrothermal features. But nothing could blow our minds like the buffalo sidling up along side of us.
We caught a beautiful sunset and called it a night.
The final leg of our trip was spent at Brooks Lake Lodge, which is slightly north of Yellowstone. It was a great little reprieve from the busy itinerary up to that point. We were able to slow down and spend three nights in a cabin enjoying all the property had to offer. The guides on property were so much fun and the main dining hall served the most delish meals. I highly recommend this little slice of heaven.
We spent our days horseback riding, fly fishing, canoeing, trying out archery, and even a little pole fishing.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the most eventful part of our visit to Brooks Lake. Somewhere around midnight on our second night at the lodge, our smoke alarm went off. I was the only one who woke up and I must have thanked God a million times over for that.
I went into the main living area {where my darling Lucy was sleeping} and found the wood burner stove in flames. Imagine a cabin made of wood, flames to the ceiling, and then you can properly imagine my desperation. I grabbed a fire extinguisher and was able to put out the fire. I then moved all the kids to the front porch as our cabin was filled with smoke.
Long story short, we all lived to tell the story {thank you dear God} and lesson learned. DO NOT ever put anything on top of a wood burning stove while there is a fire inside. Something us southerners just don't naturally know.
Besides that frightful evening, our vacation was a delight. The west has so much to offer and the beauty is magnificent. I can cleary see why Yellowstone has been a standing on Clay's bucket list.
Thanks for the Wild Visit Wyoming!
